Product Reviews from 2022..
*Click on any of the red hyperlinks to check out the products.
I would first like to take a minute and apologize that there wasn't a blog for the month of December. In the middle of November, I had to have neck surgery. I traveled to OrthoIndy in Indianapolis to have Dr. Greg Poulter remove my herniated disc and replace it with a titanium disc. After resting for over six weeks, I am exhilarated to report that all of my symptoms have disappeared, and my neck feels amazing. I would personally like to thank Dr. Poulter and his Physician Assistant, Mike Skonieczka, for taking care of me over the remainder of 2022. I eagerly look forward to shooting my new Darton Prelude, shooting 3D archery, and hunting spring gobblers.
It is difficult to beat the nose of a mature buck! In 2022 I started hearing about a new scent elimination product from Deception Scents. The products produced by Deception Scents take care of odor at its source. I love this product because it is easy to make and simple to use. Deception Scents gives you a 32 oz. spray bottle and a tablet. Simply fill the spray bottle with water, drop it in the tablet, and the spray is complete. Along with the spray, Deception Scents offers a laundry wash for your clothes to be treated. I used both of these products throughout the year and had amazing success harvesting a buck in Pennsylvania and Ohio. Check out the video about Deception Scents.
Darton Archery released the Spectra E 2022 series last year. There were a few improvements with the Spectra E from the 2021 model. The new 2022 model had a different-looking grip. Darton removed the side plates from the grip, but the grip's feel remained the same. The 2022 riser was slightly different, with the holes for the site being moved, but that wasn't a big deal. There was a new camo pattern, King's Camo, that was offered in the variety of camo patterns and colors. I found this bow to be a tack driver and easy to tune. You can purchase the Spectra E in 40, 50, 60, 70, or 80 pounds. The bow is extremely balanced and easy to adjust without a press. You can adjust the draw length by 1/2 inch increments with the turn of a few screws. I highly recommend Darton Bows and believe you will too. Video of the Spectra E...
Arrow components are essential to building arrows. Ethics Archery has what you need! Ethics Archery is a veteran-owned company located in North Carolina. Ethics Archery has components for almost every arrow on the market. All of the products are 100% American made from American products. This company offers field points, spinning inserts, Inseert/outsert systems, and nock bushings. They also offer a large line of components for crossbow bolts. I enjoy building my own arrows, and Ethics Archery allows me to make my arrows exactly how I want. Heavy arrow users and 3D arrow builders can find all they need to make their meat missiles fly perfectly. I only use Ethics Archery products in my arrow builds and have been completely satisfied. Ethics Archery video below.
Over the years, I have used many different vanes. In 2022 I was introduced to Silent Knight Vanes and was impressed with their durability. These vanes are made with a material that allows them to return to their original shape. Some other great features of these vanes are listed on their website, which you can get to by clicking on the hyperlink in the title. The low profile of these vanes allows for better arrow clearance and creates less drag. Silent Knight claims their vanes are faster than most 2-inch vanes. You can find reviews of the vanes on youtube.
For over a decade, I have relied on Grim Reaper broadheads. In 2022 a friend of mine suggested I try a broadhead from Thorn Archery. Looking at their website, I was interested in trying the Thorn Crown broadhead. The Crown is a fixed-blade broadhead with 4 blades! The top blade is 5/8 inches long, the second blade is 3/4 of an inch, followed by a third blade that measures 7/8 of an inch, and the last blade is 1 inch long. The design of this broadhead gives you eight blades total that are in a helical shape. The Crown broadheads come in 100 or 125 grains. For a fixed head, I was impressed with how accurately they flew. My Crown heads hit exactly where my field tip point did. The durability and sharpness of the blades are superior. I harvested my Pennsylvania buck with the Crown broadhead and watched the arrow blow through the buck's shoulder. The broadhead was easy to clean, and it is ready to use again. Watch the video of my Pennsylvania Buck hunt to see how the broadhead performs.
Thorn also has a variety of two-blade mechanical broadheads. They offer the Rift 2.2, the XV, the OG, the HPX, and the G.I. series. I filled my Ohio tag using the Rift 2.2 broadhead. The blood trail was awesome and easy to follow, and the broadhead was in like new shape. Check out my youtube page to see that video and some other reviews of the mechanical broadheads that Thorn offers.
Spypoint took their new Flex camera to the next level. This camera has a 33-megapixel camera and can send video or pictures. The Flex is able to convert regular photos to high-definition photos with the touch of a button on the SpyPoint App. Here is a list of the Pros and Cons of the Flex camera.
Pros:
Dual Sims cards allow the camera to pick up the best signal in the area and work on the strongest signal.
33 MP camera
Photo and Video transmission
8 AA batteries or 12V Rechargeable battery (Lithium Battery Option Coming Soon)
Optimized antenna
0.3 trigger speed
100 ft flash and detection range
Test and Format button
Remote Firmware Updates
GPS Enabled
4 Modes
Optional HD Photo and Video Transmission (Must have a package)
The camera will still take pictures even as it is transmitting, so you don't miss any action!
Price $169.99
Free 100-photo plan for every camera
All of these features have been added to make the camera easy to operate and update. I was able to use this link from Spypoint to activate my camera in a matter of minutes.
Cons:
Video mode will take 3 pictures to give you a look at what the video will be. To transfer that to your phone, you need to make it an HD video. This can affect your picture count if you are on the Free Plan.
Video clips are only 15 seconds long.
With anything new, there will be some small bugs to work out, and Spypoint is fixing a few small bugs to ensure everything is running perfectly.
May be hard to find because this camera will be a huge seller.
The screw-in connector is on the back of the camera, not on the bottom.
After using this camera for half of 2022, I am excited to say that I love everything about it. I have had zero issues with any of my three Flex Cameras.
Spypoint recently introduced the lithium solar panel. I purchased three of these panels right away. The panel allows you to run any Spypoint camera for a long time without changing batteries. I started using a panel in October, and since that day, the battery life has remained steady, near 100%. I have saved a bunch of money on batteries by switching to the lithium panel. Watch the video on the Flex and Solar panel.
Coming in 2023
Looking ahead this year, I am excited to try three new products. The first product is from Double Take Archery. This company has created a new nock called the Halo Nock. These nocks are durable, bright, easy to use, waterproof, and blood proof. I can't wait to test these nocks on their claims. The second product is from A3 Archery Custom Bow Strings. The Platinum Series bowstrings feature a Bloodline Fiber that is waxless. The strings are abrasion resistant and water-repellent. The company also produces a few other series of bowstrings, and these custom-built strings can be ordered just the way you like. The last product for 2023 is the Darton Prelude E 32. I am eagerly waiting for this new bow to arrive. The bow features a new cam, a new aluminum riser, a new roller guard, and a new grip. The new cam will allow hunters to adjust their draw length by 1/4 inch increments without needing a bow press. I will do a full review of the bow once it arrives.
Lastly, I would like to give another huge shout-out to Dr. Greg Poulter of OrthoIndy. My neck is feeling better and stronger each day. I look forward to being medically cleared to shoot my bow and hunt. If you are interested in learning more about Dr. Poulter, please click on the link below.
